Dubai residents unhappy with Ramadan parking timings

Several complain paying until midnight is hitting them hard; some say new timings are not displayed prominently

By

Bindu Suresh Rai

PublishedSaturday, July 28, 2012

Several residents of Bur Dubai, Satwa and Karama areas are complaining about the new Ramadan timings for paid parking zones, calling it ‘inconvenient’ and ‘difficult’.

According to the new timings that were launched by the Roads and Transports Authority last week, paid parking hours throughout Dubai, except Dubai Media City (DMC) and Dubai Internet City (DIC), will be from 8am to 1pm and 7pm to midnight.

The same hours will be applicable for the Deira Fish Market but it will be applicable throughout the week, including off days.

However, the parking timing at DMC and DIC is from 8am to 5pm.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Satwa resident, Basheer Khan said: “By the time we come home, it’s usually 4pm and we have just enough time to rest before iftar at 7pm.

“But the rest of the evening goes in stress because we have to keep rushing downstairs until midnight to pay for the parking. Exactly how is this a convenience for residents?”

Abdul Hussain, a Deira resident said: “Maybe if RTA would reconsider altering the evening parking time from 6pm to 10pm, it might just make it a little easier for some.

“After all, just because its Ramadan doesn’t mean we are out all evening, shopping and dining to not be inconvenienced by paid parking that stretches to midnight.”

Khan’s woes are echoed by several other residents in Karama and Bur Dubai, with Shubhangi Jog, who resides behind BurJuman, having a unique problem, saying: “I commute from Abu Dhabi everyday, so by the time I reach home, it’s usually 7pm during Ramadan and the building parking is too full for me to beg a slot even for a few hours.

“My car is a rental from Abu Dhabi, so I can’t register it and neither can I use the MParking system to pay for my car via SMS; hence, I am forced to rush downstairs and pay for two-three hours at a stretch.

Twice this week already, I was forced to go and top up my parking after 11pm.

“The whole concept of stretching paid parking to midnight is ludicrous. Even my dreams are now haunted with nightmares that I am rushing down to pay and I run out of coins.”

Half the time, we are so busy stocking up before iftar, I’m absolutely sure there are many like me who will simply forget on Fridays that we have to pay for parking. It’s not like the signs are very prominent.”

Rajiv Bohra, a Bur Dubai resident had a similar complaint, saying:

“The new parking timings have not been marked prominently in many areas, so for those who don’t read the papers regularly are caught unawares in the first few days that timings have changed.

“RTA should at least send a mass text to its database of customers to inform them of the change.”